Boiler combustion-controlling apparatus.



G. C. G. GRAY.

BOILER COMBUSTION CONTROLLING M PARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1912.

Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

G. c. e, GRAY. BOILER COMBUSTION CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY I8, I912. I I II5% Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IIIIIIIIIIHIIE IV/T1\'ESSES:

[.VVEXTOR.

m MI GEORGE C. Gr. GRAY, 0F BRYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER COMBUSTION-CONTROLLING APP ATUS.

' Lesa-ran.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 2%., TQRW...

Application filed May 18, 1912. Serial No. 698,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. G. GRAY,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bryn Mawr, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler Combustion-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention may be said to reside in the providing of a system of draft control for boiler furnaces working under high pressure, whereby a higher rate of'efliciency and a correspondingly lower rate of consumption of fuel are automatically maintained. A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for automatically controlling the draft in boiler furnaces working under high pressure, the various controlling parts of which are removed from the steam generator and centralized in a suitable stand, so that access may be readily had thereto at all times bythe attendant in charge. Further objectsof the invention are to provide general details of construction and arrangement of parts for automatically governing incomingdraft and outgoing products of combustion.

The invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the-invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsforming part hereof and in which:

Figure 1, is a view in elevation, partly sectioned, of a steam generator working under high pressure having connected therewith apparatus embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, is a view in elevation, drawn to an enlarged scale, of some of the parts shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3, is'a rear view of Fig. 2, Fig.4, is a view in elevation, partly sectioned, of the steam pressure regulating valve shown in Figs. 1, and 2, v

Fig. 5, is a view in elevation, principally sectioned, of the combined fluid seal and float and its complemental bleeder valve,

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and r Fig. 6, is a view in section taken upon the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

The system of draft control, about to be described, is adapted for'employment with any form of steam generator working under high pressure and is so arranged, connected and constructed that the parts thereof are capable of being centralized upon a stand at a given point, so that the attendant in charge may. at all times follow the workingsof the generator without actually having to be present at the generator it self. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in Fig. 1, a steam generator 1, of any preferred construction having a smoke box 2, a fire box or combustion chamber 3, a closed ash-pit i, and a smoke uptake 5. Leading from the steamgenerator 1, is the usual steam supply pipe 6. Connecting with the supply pipe 6, and leading to the blower 7 which blower in turn communicates with the closed ash-pit 4, is a steam connection 8. interposed between the steam supply pipe 6, and the'blower 7, is a diaphragm valve 9, for controlling steam passing to the blower. The smoke up-take 5. has therein a suitable boiler damper 10, operatively connected with a damper diaphragm 11. A description will now be given of the controlling apparatus of the invention which cooperates with the steam generator parts above described for automatically controlling or regulating the draft thereof. In this connection. it may be stated that the steam generator 1, may. be located in compartment a,

and the controlling apparatus may be located in compartment 5. which latter may be removed at any required distance from compartment a. As shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. the controlling apparatus in compartment 6, is first made up of a stand or framework 12, preferably of metal which has mounted thereon a wooden or other cabinet or casing 13, having a hinged cover 14, provided with a glass panel. Before taking up and describing the parts contained within the cabinet or casing 13, it

is to be remarked that there is located at the base of and supported by the'framev or stand 12, a tank or reservoir 15, for conconnection 18. Located within the cabinet or casing 13, and secured to the inner side of the rear wall thereof, as at 19, is a blower bleeder valve 20, see Figs. 2 and 4. The bleeder valve 20, see Fig. 4, has therein a two part supply passage 21, the passages being arranged at right angles to one another, a controlling screw 23, being present for regulating purposes. Having communication with the horizontal supply passage 21, and beyond the screw 23, is a valve chamber 24, having an opening in its bottom. Passing through said opening is a stem 25, of a diameter smaller than said opening, carrying at its top a valve 26, which valve normally closes the opening in the bottom of the valve chamber by Virtue of a spring 27. The above described blower bleeder valve has its vertical passage connected with the air reservoir 15, and its horizontal passage connected with the diaphragm valve 9, of the pipe 8,"leading to the blower 7. In this connection, it may be remarked that the reservoir 15, has leading therefrom-a vertically disposed supply pipe 28, terminating in branches 29, and 30, an air reducing valve. 31, being interposed between the reservoir 15, and said branches 29, and 30. Of these branch connections, the, pipe 30, leads to the supply passage 21, of the blower bleeder valve 20, which passage in turn is connected by a pipe 65, with the aforesaid diaphragm valve 9. Carried by the cabinet or casing 13,' as at 32, and immediately below the blower bleeder valve 20, is a steam pressure regulating. valve 33.- The lower part of this .valve 33, is provided with a diaphragm 34,

connected with which and extending up through the valve is a stem 35, which terminates in an enlarged portion 36, for operating the stem 25, and valve 26, of the blower bleeder valve 20. A sensitive spring 37, is present within the valve 33. for preserving a proper tension upon the diaphragm 34. hand wheel 38, is also present for regulating the tension imposed by said-spring, it being understood that the stem 35, extends loosely up through said hand wheel. Connected with the valve 33, beneath the, diaphragm 34, is a pipe 39, which leads to a pipe connecting steam gage c, on the steam generator 1, whereby steam pressure within the generator parts influences the diaphragm 34, for operating the blower bleeder valve 20, in order that air may escape from the valve chamber 24, thereof when desirable.

Shown as carried by a bracket 40, secured to the inner side of the back of the cabinet or casing 13, is a combined damper controlling bleeder valve 41, and an oil seal and float 42. As clearly illustrated .in Fig. 5,

the bracket 40, terminates at one end in and.

has preferably formed integral therewith a relatively cup-shaped receptacle 43, containing a liquid seal 44, preferably of oil.

Within the receptacle 43, is an open top float 45, having secured thereto a bar 46, which bar is fulcrumed as at 47, between lugs 48, carried by the damper bleeder valve 41. In this" connection it-may be remarked that in order to secure fine adjustments of the bar 46, use is made of set screws 49, see Fig. 6,

- sure of gases Within the fire box or combust1on chamber 3, serves to influence the float 45, of the-receptacle 43, the object of which will presently appear. Taking up now the damper bleeder valve 41, and considered transversely, there is shown as extending therethrough, .see Fig. 6, a horizontal passage 52. Communicating therewith is a vertical passage 53, a screw 54, being present for regulating flowof compressed air through the damper bleeder valve. In this connection, it is to be noted that the branch pipe 29,.hereinbefore referred to, which extends from the pipe 28, leading to the reservoir 15, communicates with the vertical passage 53, of the valve 41; also that leading from the passage 52, of said valve is a pipe 55, which leads to the damper diaphragm 11, which operates the damper 10, within the smoke uptake 5, of the steam generator 1. Extending vertically from the passage 52, and communicating with the atmospheric air is a passage 56, anapertured nipple being present at this point which registers with said passage to provide a good valve seat.- To the under side of the bar 46, and immediately above the passage 56, is a spring impelled valve 57, for intermittently closing said passage 56, as the float 45 moves around its fulcrumed point. Also located within the cabinet or casing 13, is a draft gage 58,- shown as having connection *with the pipe 51, which gage is calculated to show pressure within the fire box or com bustion chamber 3. Gages 59, and 60, are

also present within the cabinet or casing 13, of which the gage 59, registers a1r pressure and the gage 60, registers boiler steam pressure.

The mode of operation of the above described apparatus may be said to be as follows: Pressure' of air is .maintained within the reservoir 15, through the instrumentality of air compressor 16, and is supplied through pipe 28, and air reducing valve 31, to the branch pipes 29, and 30, and as air asses through the pipe 21, to and through b ower bleeder valve 20, and pipe 31, to blower 7,

a fixed maximum steam pressure is maintalne'd 1n the generator 1, and at the same nection 39, the diaphragm 34, of steam pressure valve 33, and raise the stem 35, thereof,

thereby raising valve 26, of the blower bleeder valve 20, from its complemental valve seat whereupon air pressure will be released and diaphragm valve 9, through connection 31, will cause the blower 7, to reduce its supply of atmospheric air to. the ash-pit 4. Meanwhile, the pressure of gases in the fire box or combustion chamber 3, will decrease 'on account of the pull of the smoke uptake 5. This will cause a partial vacuum in receptacle 43, and the liquid 44:, therein will fall and cause the float 45, to descend and close the opening 56, of the damper bleeder valve 41. In view of this, air pressure will be exerted upon the damper diaphragm 11,; by way of pipe 55, which Slit will cause the damper 10, to close uptake 5, see Fig. 1. I As the draft of the smoke uptake decreases the pressure on the liquid in receptacle 43, increases until the working pressure of the gases is reached. At that time steam pressure decreases and the diaphragm 34, of thesteam pressure valve 33, will descend and valve 26, of blower bleeder valve 20, will close. Compressed air will at this time again-operate diaphragm valve 9, to increase blower supply. Thus, an excess of steam pressure or any variation between the gas pressure in the combustion chamber and atmospheric pressure, will serve to automatically regulate the blower and the damper to maintain equilibrium between gases in the combustion chamber and atmospheric pressure exterior to the boiler setting.

What I claim is: 1. The combination of a high pressure steam boiler having a smoke uptake damper and an ash-pit blower with centralized appliances for boiler combustion control irrespective of the distance between said boiler and said centralized appliances, said appliances embracing a portable supporting structure, means responsive to furnace pressure operative to control said" damper, means responsive to boiler pressure operative to control said blower, air reducing means operatively connecting with said damper controlling means and said blower controlling means, means for the storage of compressed air connecting with said air reducing means and means for supplying air to said storage means, all of said appliances being opera, tively mounted upon said portable structure.

2. The combination of a high pressure steam boiler having a smoke uptake damper and an ash-pit blower with centralized appliances for combustion control irrespective of the distance between said-boiler and centralized appliances, said appllances embracto boiler pressure operative to control a.

boiler blower, air reducing means operatively connecting said damper control means and said blower controlling means, means for the storage of compressed air connecting with said air reducing means and means for supplying air to said storage means, all of said means being operatively mounted upon said portable structure.

4. A combustion controlling apparatus for hi h ressure steam boilers embracin a a portable stand, an oil-seal for controlllng a boiler damper, a steam pressure regulating device for controlling a boiler blower a reducing valve operatively connecting with said oil-seal and said steam pressure regulating device, an air storage tank connecting with said reducing valve, and an air compressor for supplying air to said tank, all of said appliances being operatively mounted upon said stand. V

5. A combustion controlling device for high pressure steam boilers embracing a portable stand, an oil-seal for controlling a boiler damper, a U-gage coupled in series with said oil-seal, a steam pressure regulat-' ing device for controlling a boiler blower. a boiler pressure gage connected in series with said steam pressure regulating device, a reducing valve operatively connecting with said oil seal and said steam pressure regulating device, an air pressure gage connected between said reducing valve and the said oil-seal and said steam pressure regulating device, an air storage tank connecting with said reducing valve and an air compressor .for supplying air to said tank, all of said said oil-seal and said steam pressure regulating device, an air pressure gage connected between said air reducing valve and said gages, oil-seal and steam pressure regulating oil-seal and said steam pressure regulating device. 10 device, an air storage tank connecting with In testimony whereofyI have hereunto said reducing valve, an air compressor for signed my name. 5 supplying air to said tank which tank and GEORGE C. G. GRAY.

compressor are mounted upon said stand and Witnesses:

a housing equipped with a movable cover AGNES E. CAsKEY, mounted on said stand for incasing said WILLIAM J. JACKSON. 

